‘Creative Communities Under Construction’ Across W.Va.

Written by Jason Keeling on September 26, 2008

In preparation for the Create WV Conference, Oct. 20-22, officials from the non-profit group Create West Virginia are inviting bloggers across the state to highlight “Creative Communities Under Construction,” by demonstrating local examples of the “new economy” in West Virginia. Several bloggers helped jump-start the effort, and others will be added to this list as it expands:

Artist Rebecca Burch | Spencer WV, Creative Community? You Betcha!

Health Care Attorney Bob Coffield | “WV Creative Communities Project: New Martinsville and Bethany”

Justen Deal | “We Are Created Creative”

Marketing Genius Blog | “W.Va. Eastern Panhandle - A Creative Community Under Construction”

Oncee@Blogger | “Creative Communities Under Construction, Richwood, WV”

Platinum PR | “Creativity in the Eastern Panhandle”

The Purple Moon | “Creative Communities Under Construction: One Entrepreneur’s Story”

Two-Lane Bloggin’ | “Creative Communities Under Construction”

Vec3 | “Helping Create West Virginia”

West Virginia State University | “Institute, West Virginia - Creative Communities Under Construction”

West Virginia State University | “Essence of Entrepreneurs”

Bloggers are asked to answer any one or more of the below primer questions, citing an example(s) from their community/county. For those readers that don’t have a blog, you can still participate. Leave thoughts here via comment, comment on the above listed blogs, or spread the word through social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Bloggers/readers are welcomed to spread variations of the adjacent cone image across the Internet to spur discussion of new economy expansion in West Virginia. Physical cones are occasionally being placed in downtown areas across the state to generate buzz about the conference.

‘Creative Communities’ Primer Questions

• Creative Entrepreneurship – Who is taking a risk and starting a new business or project in your area? Who is taking advantage of the Internet to sell their art, publish their work, or sell their stuff?
• Arts and Culture – Who is cutting edge and breaking new ground in your area? What organization is championing creativity and innovation at home, work or in the schools?
• Creative Education – What is your local school or school district doing to promote innovation and creativity? Who is offering unique technical or scientific skills? Any creative camps for kids, or efforts to augment what kids get from school? Any unique adult education programs?
• Technology – What is your community doing to bring broadband or wi-fi to your community? To help people acquire tech skills? To promote social networking and communication between and within communities?
• Diversity and Inclusiveness – Who is reaching out to make sure people of all backgrounds feel welcome and included? What organizations or individuals are being proactive in talking about the value of diversity and pushing back against hate and discrimination?
• Quality of Place – Who is starting a cool new place to hang out and connect? What is your community doing to provide trails and other outdoor amenities? How is your town trying to build a better aesthetic to brighten downtown or neighborhoods?

Posted in Business, Economy, West Virginia